Feather River - Oroville, CA

The Feather River, especially the part below Oroville Dam, is a sweet spot for fishing in California's Central Valley. You can pretty much fish here all year round, and it's famous for its awesome Chinook salmon and steelhead runs, thanks to the Feather River Fish Hatchery right there.

Folks often chase king salmon here. Many catches are in the 10-15 pound range, but some real monsters over 30 pounds show up during the fall run. When salmon aren't biting, the river's still great for steelhead, usually around 4-5 pounds, though you might hook into a 10-pounder! Just remember, if you catch a wild steelhead (they won't have a clipped fin), you gotta let 'em go.

But it's not just salmon and steelhead! The Feather River also has plenty of striped bass and American shad to keep things exciting. Upstream, where the water's colder, fly-fishing for brown and rainbow trout is fantastic, especially in early summer when the hatches are going off.

Getting to the river around Oroville is pretty easy, with lots of public boat ramps and spots to fish from the bank. Riverbend Park is a popular launch, and there's another good one just above the Thermalito Afterbay Outfall. Just a friendly reminder: always double-check the latest California Department of Fish and Wildlife rules for seasons, limits, and gear—they can change depending on what you're fishing for and where you are on the river.